Thursday, June 04, 2015

Just two more hostas! Oh, this one is hard to dig out! Mustn't disturb its neighboring coral bells! I got it, I got it! Just one more twist... What's that? Have I twisted my back out of alignment? Damn!

Last spring was the season of back issues. I had fallen hard on an ice rink in January (on a Greek island, of all things) and that was the start of the back muscle spasms that came soon after, when I biked too hard (March), or shoveled too ferociously (April). But, things got better. So much better that I never gave it another thought.

I felt I had overcome!

Yay me!

Stupid me.

In the late morning, I stop by my doc's office (on a whim -- I'm in the neighborhood) and ask for some magic pill that will make me mobile for the rest of the day.See, I have to babysit my granddaughter and at the present moment, bending down is nearly impossible.Well now, the best thing for you is rest and warm wet towels on your back...You don't understand. My granddaughter is too young to put warm wet towels on my back!

In the end, I got my magic pill, just in case I absolutely cannot move. I went on to Snowdrop's home, where I explained to her that she should not be TOO energetic as I am of limited mobility today.

She properly laughed at that!

But let's go back to the beginning of the day -- a warm day, a beautiful day when the remaining peonies finally opened up their globes of loveliness.

And here's another favorite pairing for me -- this duo by the brick path repeats its synchronized show each year and it never fails to enchant me.

Yes, yes, we eat breakfast on the porch.

And I want to give a deep nod of appreciation again to those garden peonies -- you'll find a sample of each in our breakfast table vase.

And after breakfast -- well, it was the run in with the hostas and the shovel.Ed!Coming, gorgeous...

And there was the clinic visit and then -- an afternoon with Snowdrop. But if I had worried and fretted about caring for her with a back that had worked its way into a magnificent spasm, I should have known better. Something magical happens when you focus your attention on the needs of another -- your own issues grow small and puny. She stands...

she sits...

she moves this way...

and that way...

and before I know it, it's time for our walk around the lake...

and boom! ...the day is gone.

I don't bother with dinner. I go downtown to the quiet, studentless main drag and pick up Chipotle bowls of good fast food and Ed and I enjoy a no muss no fuss dinner while watching the News Hour.

I know from experience that I will either wake up tomorrow and my back will be much better or I'll wake up and it will be much worse. I'm betting on the better! Yes, the better, for sure! Goodnight!